🔬 Chemicals × REACH — Corporate Response Case Studies

BASF, the German chemical company, faces continuing REACH obligations as an EU-based manufacturer: the expanding SVHC Candidate List, authorisation (Annex XIV) and restrictions (Annex XVII). The SVHC Candidate List reached 253 entries with the February 4, 2026 update, which added n-hexane and Bisphenol AF (BPAF). On April 27, 2026, the European Commission said it would not open REACH for a full revision at this stage (the European Parliament Legislative Train lists the file as "Blocked", as updated on September 20, 2026). According to the company (February 27, 2026), BASF reached an annual cost-reduction run rate of around €1.7 billion by the end of 2025 and expects annual cost savings of €2.3 billion by the end of 2026, including a programme focused on its Ludwigshafen site. Balancing REACH compliance costs with profitability is a core management task.

Dow, a US-based materials science company headquartered in Midland, Michigan, complies with EU REACH as a non-EU manufacturer; REACH Article 8 allows such manufacturers to register through an Only Representative (OR) in the EU. According to the company, on June 30, 2025 its board approved closing three European assets: an ethylene cracker in Böhlen and chlor-alkali and vinyl assets in Schkopau (Germany), both expected to shut down in the fourth quarter of 2027, and a basic siloxanes plant in Barry (UK), expected to shut down in mid-2026. In April 2025 the company expanded its review of European assets, primarily in polyurethanes, and delayed construction of its Path2Zero project in Fort Saskatchewan, Canada, until market conditions improve. On April 27, 2026, the European Commission said it would not open REACH for a full revision at this stage (the European Parliament Legislative Train lists the file as "Blocked", as updated on September 20, 2026).

Evonik is a specialty chemicals company headquartered in Essen, Germany. According to the company, its 2025 sales fell by 7% to €14.1 billion, adjusted EBITDA was €1.87 billion, and it expects adjusted EBITDA of €1.7–2.0 billion in 2026; it has about 31,000 employees. In June 2026 it extended its efficiency programme "Evonik Tailor Made" through 2029, with about 3,200 jobs to be cut (2,150 in Germany) and its polyester business to be discontinued. On April 27, 2026, the European Commission said it would not open REACH for a full revision at this stage (the European Parliament Legislative Train lists the file as "Blocked", as updated on September 20, 2026).

According to Mitsubishi Chemical Group (April 2025), it aims to divest or exit non-core businesses worth about ¥400 billion in revenue terms in FY2024–FY2029, of which about ¥280 billion had already been decided. The company targets core operating income of ¥236.0 billion in FY2029. For a non-EU manufacturer exporting chemicals to the EU, REACH Article 8 allows registration through an Only Representative (OR) in the EU; divestments make the transfer of REACH registrations a practical issue. On April 27, 2026, the European Commission said it would not open REACH for a full revision at this stage (the European Parliament Legislative Train lists the file as "Blocked", as updated on September 20, 2026).

According to its medium-term plan materials, Sumitomo Chemical recorded net income attributable to owners of the parent of ¥38.6 billion in FY2024 (year ended March 2025). According to its disclosures, under an agreement of August 7, 2024 it sold about 22.5% of Petro Rabigh to Saudi Aramco for $702 million; the sale was completed on October 8, 2025, reducing its stake from 37.5% to 15% (the proceeds were contributed in full to Petro Rabigh). Its FY2025–FY2027 medium-term plan ("Leap Beyond") focuses resources on Agro & Life Sciences and ICT & Mobility while continuing structural reform of petrochemicals in Japan and Singapore. Its REACH compliance spans different regulatory regimes for crop protection, semiconductor materials and polarizing film materials.

Toray supplies fibers, carbon fiber composites, resins, films and other materials, and is affected by REACH across several businesses. According to its financial results, in the year ended March 2025 its revenue was ¥2,563.3 billion and core operating income was ¥142.8 billion (previous year: ¥102.6 billion); its outlook for the year ended March 2026 was ¥150 billion, including an estimated ¥15 billion negative impact from US tariff measures (May 2025). According to TORAY REPORT 2025, it has put into practical use a mold release film for advanced semiconductor packaging that uses its NANOALLOY® technology, reduces mold contamination to one fifth or less of conventional films, and is made of materials that do not contain PFAS, which are under consideration for regulation in Europe and elsewhere.

Canon makes multifunction devices, cameras, semiconductor lithography equipment and medical equipment, and has REACH obligations as a producer of articles rather than as a chemical maker: providing information on SVHCs above 0.1% w/w (Article 33), notifying ECHA where an SVHC is present above 0.1% w/w in articles totalling over one tonne per year (Article 7(2)), and providing information to the SCIP database under the Waste Framework Directive. According to the company, after adopting the IEC 62474 data scheme it began using chemSHERPA in 2017, and as of 2025 more than 99% of survey replies from suppliers were made through chemSHERPA.